A Different Path (Paused)
by The scribe of the 4th brother
Summary: this is an au where link wakes up in the castle dungeon and can't remember why. ganondorf and Zelda will be in it too
1. The New Prisoner

**hi all, I am not really sure when this this AU takes place. but it might be close to either the civil war period before [ocarina of time] with some [twilight princess] areas. I don't know though. hope you guys like it.**

"Where am I? and why does my body feel like I just got pulled apart?" I wondered as I lay there on the cold hard stone floor in complete darkness.

"Why does this always happen to me." A voice from somewhere says. "First its babysitting the brats in the marketplace, then it was cleaning the barracks, and now I have to guard the intruder."

The steps came closer and then I heard the sound of a wooden door open and the light of a lantern poured in, blinding me.

"Hey intruder! Get up." The man yelled at me.

My eyes had already started to adjust to the light so I could see a blurred image of the man in front of me. He was a man in his early twenties and was huge. He had bright hair, but I couldn't tell what color in this light and he wore the chain mail of the high ranking castle guards.

He scowled at me when I didn't get up "I said get up. are you deaf? and if you hurry you might be able to explain why and how you got here in the first place." He said.

I got to my feet as fast as I could. Which wasn't very fast because of some bindings on my wrists and my muscles stiff from the hard floor.

He sighed "Well if you would please hurry with me we can get this whole matter resolved."

He turned and motioned me to follow him. We went at a brisk pace and soon we were out of the building they were keeping me. I looked around and then noticed where I was. I was in the royal dungeons. I was being led to the castle. This is not looking good and why can't I remember how I got here.

"So why did you try to get in here last night" The guard asked.

"I don't remember" I said.

"What are you serious. You get yourself arrested and you can't remember what for." He said surprised and laughing at me.

I don't even remember how I got here. much less why." I said.

"Well I just hope the captain goes easy on you." He says.

We reach the castle and he takes me down the hall and through a few doors and then we arrive at what looks like the head captains office.

"Sir, I brought the intruder. Just like you asked." My guard said saluting.

The head captain nodded then turned to me "Why did you try to sneak in boy? Trying to catch a glimpse of lady Zelda perhaps?"

"I'm sorry sir. I don't remember last night at all." I said truthfully

"Hmmm. I'm not surprised by that. You did have a very nasty fall four nights ago when you dropped on your head from the top of that tower." He said pointing at one of the smaller towers.

"I did what?" I asked surprise.

"Ha ha ha. You are quite the funny one with that look on your face. You have been passed out for four days and you seem to be almost in perfect health. But I cant just allow you to leave right after we just caught you sneaking around the castle." He said.

I nodded then said "Yes sir. I understand."

He raised an eyebrow and said "Do you now. Well then I wont have to tell you that starting tomorrow you will be cleaning the outside of the towers and then doing whatever the cleaning servants need done."

"What! I'm not going to the dungeons." I said confused

"Oh no. You are still sleeping there, but you will be working out here." He said.

"What is your name lad" He asked.

"Link, sir." I said'

He nodded then turned to my guard and said "Captain Fong, I am assigning you as his guard. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes sir. I would be glad to do it." The guard said.

We then left the office and headed back to the dungeons.

When we got to the dungeons he took me to a different cell and said "Ok, this will be your chambers from now on. Its on the second floor down and has quite a few nice amenities. I will see you in the morning."

With that he opened the wooden door to a nice looking cell and had me step inside. He then shut the door and locked it.

I looked around the room there was a bed, a desk, and a toilet and wash basin. Plus one or two little things like books or a game. All in all a really good cell.

I could get used to this. I thought to myself then I thought well I had better I will probably be here a while.

I laid my head on the pillow and tried to get some sleep.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

 **the next morning**

I woke up to a soft knock on the door. I sat up and stretched my back. The knock came again.

"I'm up. Who is there." I asked perplexed.

"I was sent to give you a change of clothes and breakfast, sir." A young girl said quietly.

"Thanks. Come on in" I said.

A small girl no more than thirteen came in with a tray of food and a pair of work clothes.

"Thanks a lot, this looks great." I said she nodded the scurried away shyly.

I grabbed the clothes and put them on then grabbed the food and started to dig in.

About twenty minutes later my guard came in and said "Its time to go. Are you ready?"

I nodded and we headed to the tower to start the job.

0o0o0o0o0

After about three hours we were done with half of the first tower.

The head captain came out and said "Wow, I am impressed that should have taken twice as long to do. Keep up the good work." He then waved and left to finish up his work.

The next half of the tower took eight hours just because I had to climb up and down the edges of the tower to get all of the vines and bird nests off. Then I had to wipe down the surface of the tower until it shined.

The head captain came out and said "Amazing work link. You got the first one done. Tomorrow you shall work on that tower. Now dinner is in your cell. Go get some rest."


	2. the last tower

**hello everyone. I want to say welcome to another chapter in the wonderful world of Hyrule. I probably wont post much on this book till I finish the other books I am writing. also I am putting a link to Zelda's lullaby, just incase anyone doesn't remember the song. I mention it in the story and its a great song.  
** **youtu. be/rZdO6YBRJBI** **just take away the space  
**

"Wakey, wakey. I got eggs and bakey." I heard a voice say to me.

I was lying in bed tired as hell and not even bacon would get me up. "I'm sleeping." I said to my annoying friend Captain Daron Fong.

He gave one of his devilish grins then said " You have till the count of three before I pick up your bed and throw it into the lake."

I jumped up and started getting dressed. Last time he said that, I ignored him and he did it like it was as easy as carrying a small book.

"Good, now eat your breakfast. Then it's out to finish the last tower. Oh and don't look through this window or else you might find that the rope was cut along with your head." He said

"Wow, what's with the threats. What could be so bad that you would threaten me like that." I asked in a playful tone.

"It's not me you have to worry about, it's high general Impa that would kill you." He said dead serious.

My grin faded. I now knew he was actually saving my life. We finished breakfast and headed out to the tower we were cleaning today. On the way to the tower I thought about the previous week I had here.

I looked at Daron " This is the last one. boy, I can't believe I have been here a little over a week. I wonder where I'm going to go when I leave?" I wondered

"Well what did you do before this?" Daron asked while getting the rope ready to hook up.

"I used to be a blacksmith but then I left to become a shepherd out at a ranch, I then started work as a mercenary." I said

"You! a mercenary! Ha, that's a good one. You just aren't the type to fight in bloody battles and kill without mercy." Daron said

"Usually I had jobs killing wild animals or hunting criminals, But yeah, if they involved killing innocent people I turned them down."

"So you were a sellsword that refused to sell." He said trying to be clever.

"Ha ha. Nice one. Now is the rope ready." I said wanting to hurry and get started.

He strapped the rope to me and I climbed up to the top of the roof of the tower. Usually I would climb up on the inside but this time I had to climb on the outside.

I started with tying the rope to the top of the tower and then repelled down the side just a bit.

I then started by cleaning off all the hanging vines. Not that there was many on this tower. In fact this tower was by far the cleanest and best looking. So I then started washing the tower with a bucket and soap.

It took a while and as I got done washing the tower, lunch was ready.

"You really suprise me. You have been working since sunrise and I haven't heard a single complaint from you yet. In fact you haven't complained once. Well other than getting out of bed." Daron said "Not to mention that I haven't seen a faster window washer ever. You should start a business. You'd make a killing."

I don't know about that. But I don't complain about work, I just do it. Plus this is fun. Well other than the wedgie I get from the rope" I said

We finished our lunch and Daron hooked me up to the rope again. I grabbed the bucket of polish and started with polishing the entire tower.

I went to the bottom of the tower and started there.

I just completed the bottom half of the tower when I started to hear a tune in my head. I whistled to the tune. Just then a hawk swooped down and landed on my shoulder. You should have seen the look on Daron's face. It was hilarious. I couldn't tell if it was amazement or terror.

"Where in Lowrule did you do that." He said in disbelief

"I just used the song of the birds that I learned as a kid. I am actually surprised a hawk was anywhere near here." I said

"So you do this weird stuff all the time? Wow, you sure are some character." Daron said

 **Zelda's lullaby starts now**

I dismissed the hawk and it flew away into the sky. I then proceeded to continue working for a while more. Almost an hour had passed as I worked in silence. Just then a beautiful harp began playing from the tower. It was strangely hypnotic. I slowly made my way up to the window. And when I got to the top I saw a gorgeous girl playing the harp and singing.

She looked around my age maybe around nineteen or twenty. She was tall and graceful and had brownish golden hair with blue eyes. She was sitting on her bed with her side to me.

The song and her beauty had me memorized. Only after she finished the song did I wake from my daze.

"Who are you." She said jumping up in surprise when she saw me.

I said the first thing that came to my head. "I am a window washer."

"So you are a window washer huh. You better hurry up before Impa comes back." She warned

I nodded and started to leave then turned and said "You sing very beautifully. Bye." I then jumped down and continued working, with Daron wondering if I was crazy, stupid, brave, or all three.

* * *

 **thanks for reading. here is a little trivia for people who don't study LoZ lore. There is regular Hyrule, then a twisted evil dimension called Lowrule, and then the border between those places is the twilight realm.**


End file.
